Re: Never push the Big Red Button (New York City subway failure)

["Lady Benjamin Cannon of Glencoe, ASCE" <lb () 6by7 net>]

Code requires this here.  The intent of the EPO buttons are to immediately disconnect all energized power to the entire 
facility/building in the event of a critical fault like an electrical fire or electrocution. 

Only locally-battery powered low-voltage emergency lighting should still be operating.   Often the next step after EPO 
is to flood the room...
—L.B.

Ms. Lady Benjamin PD Cannon of Glencoe, ASCE
6x7 Networks & 6x7 Telecom, LLC 
CEO 
lb () 6by7 net <mailto:lb () 6by7 net>
"The only fully end-to-end encrypted global telecommunications company in the world.”
FCC License KJ6FJJ



> On Sep 15, 2021, at 8:58 AM, Adam Thompson <athompson () merlin mb ca> wrote:
>
> Now I'm curious... in all of the DCs and COs I've worked in - to the best of my knowledge, I haven't personally 
> tested this! - the EPO button does not​ switch to emergency power.  It turns off ALL equipment power in the space - 
> no lights, no klaxons, nothing.  In simpler setups, the EPO is connected to the UPS so anything plugged in to the UPS 
> does dark instantly.  In one DC I'm familiar with, the EPO switch kills all the UPS output and​ uses several relays 
> to kill commercial power at the same time.
> In some, the room lights were not covered by the EPO switch, in some they were.  Emergency exit lamps will continue 
> to be lit, as they have internal batteries, and are required by building/fire code.
>
> Is it (somewhat) common for an EPO switch to only disconnect commercial power and leave local redundant power live?  
> What sort of facilities would have this?
>
> -Adam
>
> Adam Thompson
> Consultant, Infrastructure Services
>
> 100 - 135 Innovation Drive
> Winnipeg, MB, R3T 6A8
> (204) 977-6824 or 1-800-430-6404 (MB only)
> athompson () merlin mb ca <mailto:athompson () merlin mb ca>
> www.merlin.mb.ca <http://www.merlin.mb.ca/>
> From: NANOG <nanog-bounces+athompson=merlin.mb.ca () nanog org> on behalf of Jay R. Ashworth <jra () baylink com>
> Sent: September 11, 2021 22:23
> To: nanog <nanog () nanog org>
> Subject: Re: Never push the Big Red Button (New York City subway failure)
>  
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Sean Donelan" <sean () donelan com>
>
> > NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RAIL CONTROL CENTER POWER
> > OUTAGE ISSUE ON AUGUST 29, 2021
> > Key Findings
> > September 8, 2021
> >
> > https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/WSP_Key_Findings_Summary-for_release.pdf 
> > <https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/WSP_Key_Findings_Summary-for_release.pdf>
> >
> > Key Findings
> > [...]
> >
> > 3. Based on the electrical equipment log readings and the manufacturer’s
> > official assessment, it was determined that the most likely cause of RCC
> > shutdown was the “Emergency Power Off” button being manually activated.
>
> I don't even *do* datacenter for a living, and I know that when you hit the
> Molly button, 
>
> 1) A Klaxon goes off in the Data Center -- one that sounds *different* from
> the Halon Klaxon, in both cadence and tone (just for a couple bursts), and
>
> 2) Yellow rotating beacons turn on, and stay on while you're on Emergency Power.
>
> Yes, real honest-to-ghod *rotating mechanical beacons*, none of this flashing LED
> crap.
>
> Clearly, it's important that the use of Emergency Power be annoyingly noticeable.
>
> Cheers,
> -- jra
> -- 
> Jay R. Ashworth                  Baylink                       jra () baylink com
> Designer                     The Things I Think                       RFC 2100
> Ashworth & Associates       http://www.bcp38.info <http://www.bcp38.info/>          2000 Land Rover DII
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